Box-making machine.



No. 801,998. PATENTED 001:. 17, 1905. W. LIPPS & 1. SPRINGER.

BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1902.

4- SHEETSSHEET I.

WW8 es fwd/ No. 801,998 I PATENTED 0GT.17, 1905. W. LIPPS & I. SPRINGER.

BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNESO, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wiyl '35 No. 801,998. PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905. W. LIPPS & I. SPRINGER.

BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ANDREW a swim c0 womm'uumnuins. wasmum'an u u PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905.

W. LIPPS & I. SPRINGER. BOX MAKING MACHINE.

4 SHEETSSEEET 4.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 30, 1902.

E wh w UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM LIPPS AND ISAAC SPRINGER, OF RIDGEDALE, TENNESSEE,

ASSIGNORS TO CONSIGNEES FAVORITE BOX COMPANY, OF CHAT- TANOOGA, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF TENNESSEE.

BOX-MAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented.- Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed June 30, 1902. Serial No. 113,854.

To rt/IZ 70/2/0722, it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM LIPPS and IsAAo SPRINGER, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Ridgedale, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box Making Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in machines such as are adapted for use in driving staples and similar fastening devices, and more especially that class of such machines wherein are combined with the staple-driving means devices for feeding the materials in connection with which the staples or other fastening devices are employed to such driving means, together with mechanism for forming or producing the staples from a wire or strip of metal continuously fed to the machine; and the object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character of a simple and inexpensive nature and of acompact, strong, and durable construction having improved means for driving the staples and capable of operation at a considerable speed without danger of breakage or of impairment of the work, so that an increased output of work is afforded.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction and combinations and arrangements of the several parts of the improved staple -driving machine whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is made simpler, cheaper, and is otherwise better adapted and made more convenient for use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth. I

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

In the accompanylng drawings, which serve to illustrate the invention, Figure l-isa front elevation showing the improved machine, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a partial section taken horizontally through the improved machine in the plane indicated. by the line a a in Fig. 1 and showing certain features to be hereinafter set forth. Fig. 4 is a partial section taken vertically through the machine in the plane indicated by the line b I) in Fig. l and showing certain features to be hereinafter referred to. Fig. 5 is a front elevation, drawn to an enlarged scale, and showing, detached, certain features of the staple forming and setting or driving devices to be hereinafter referred to. Fig. 6 is an enlarged partial view showing certain features of the mechanism for feeding the wire for forming the staples. Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view showing certain features of the mechanism for forming the staples, the parts being shown in an initial position. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but showing the parts moved to another position. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view showing features of the mechanism for forming and driving or setting the staples. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section, drawn to a larger scale and taken in the plane indicated by the line 0 c in Fig. 6 and showing certain features of the wire-feeding and staple forming and driving or setting mechanisms. Fig. 11 is a detached detail view showing the rear face of the die or former for forming the staples. Fig. 12 is a detached detail side view showing the hammer or driver for setting or driving the staples, together with the chuck by which said hammer or driver is carried. Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 12, but showing the hammer or driver in front elevation. Fig. 13 is adetached detail view showing the eccentric pin or stud, whereon is carried the lower pressureroller of the wire-feeding mechanism. Fig. 14 is a view showing a section or fragment of the finished product of the improved machine.

As shown in the views, the improved machine is formed with a frame comprising side pieces 1 1, braced at their lower parts by suit able girths or cross-bars, as shown at 2,and h aving near their upper parts forwardly-extended portions 3 3, between which are extended cross-bars 4 4, in a manner to produce a fiattened table at the forward or feeding end of the machine. The bars i are spaced apart, and behind them is arranged abar 5, also extended across the frame parallel to the bars 4 4. At the sides of the table thus produced at the feeding end of the machine are extended side guides 6 6, parallel with the side pieces 1 of the frame and adjustable toward and away from each other. These guides 6 6 are designed to prevent endwise movement of the strips of veneer being fed into the machine. Central between the guides 6 6 is a support 7, parallel with said guides and designed to support the veneer strips at their central parts while being fed into the machine.

Supported upon the forward ends of the side guides 6 6 are end guides 8 8 for the ends of the veneer strips to be fed into the machine, these guides 8 being, as shown in Fig. 3, chambered or recessed on their adjacent sides to receive the ends of the veneer strips m which rest in a pile or stack between the said end guides. The upper ends of the guides are made enlarged, as shown at 9, to facilitate the introduction of the strips m therein, and at their lower ends the front and back walls of the said end guides 8 are cut out, as shown at 10, to permit the withdrawal of the veneer strips from the under side of the stack or pile successively and one at a time, as will be hereinafter explained. The end guides 8 have integral feet 11, which are held by screws or otherwise upon the guides 6.

For successively withdrawing single or individual strips 00 from the under side of the stack or pile held in the end guides 8 feeding mechanism comprising chain or link belts 1-5 15 are provided, there being preferably one of said chain or link belts adjacent to each side of the table of the machine and each chain or link belt having its alternate links formed with projecting portions 16, adapted as the chains pass in their movement beneath the pile orstack of stripsm to engage against the forward edges of the lowermost strips in the stack or pile and move the same rearwardly from beneath the overlying strips of thestack or pile, the dimensions of the cut-out portions 1O in the end guides 8 beingsuch as to permit the abstraction in this manner of but a single strip m at atime by each two alined projections or teeth 16 in the two link or chain belts 15 15. In this way the veneer strips w are segregated from the stack or pile and are fed successively along the table of the machineframe, being supported upon the chains and parts 6 and 7and held against endwise movement by the side guides 6 6. The forward bights of the link or chain belts 15 are passed about wheels 14, held adjustably upon a crossshaft 13, extended along the front ofthe frame, and the rear bights of said belts are held upon chain-wheels 14 upon another cross-shaft 17, extended between brackets at the rear of the side pieces 1 1 of the frame, one end of said shaft 17 being provided with a ratchet-wheel 18, engaged by a dog or pawl By means of the feeding mechanism above described the veneer strips or slats m are carried through the machine and beneath staple forming and driving or setting devices, to be hereinafter described, and by means of such l staple forming and setting devices the said strips or slats are connected in a series by means of a plurality of wires held to the slats or strips by means of the staples. The staple forming and setting devices are arranged at the rear end of the table of the machine-frame, and behind said table the frame has an extension 1 of any desired length, (only a portion of said extension being shown on the drawings.) Above the extension 1 are chain or link belts 17' 17 adapted to receive the finished product after the same has been operated upon by the staple-setting devices and to carry such finished product on out of the machine. The forward ends of the chain or link belts l7 are carried upon chain-wheels 17 upon the cross-shaft 17, by means of which they are driven, and in order to hold the finished product down snugly upon the chains after passing through the staple-setting devices weighted arms 17 are provided, adapted to rest upon the upper face of the connected strips or slats a)", as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, said weighted arms being hung on a cross-rod 17 suitably supported upon the extension 1 of the machine-frame.

As shown in the drawings, the improved machine is provided with five sets of staple forming and setting or driving devices, so arranged as to permit of connecting the slats or strips or by means of five connecting-wires ww, one of said wires being extended transversely across each slat or strip near each enc thereof, as shown in Fig. 14, and the remaining three wires being arranged at equal distances between. these two outer wires. We do not desire to limit ourselves to the employment of any particular number of staple forming and setting devices, however, and there may be more or less than five of these provided.

Each set of staple forming and driving devices is carried upon a block or head 24, having on its rear face a transverse projection 25, adapted for engagement in a slot 27, formed longitudinally in a cross-bar or girth 28, extended transversely across and above the table of the machine-frame above the plane in which the slats or strips :0 are fed thereon, the ends of said cross-bar 28 being secured to uprights38, extended up from the side pieces 1 of the frame at the rear part thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By the engagement of their projections 25 in the slot 27 the blocks or heads 24 are held for horizontal adjustment toward and away from each other over the table of the machine to accom modate the machine to different lengths of slats or strips and different arrangements of the connecting-wires w therefor, and each projection 25 carries a screw 26, the head of which is adapted for engagement with the rear face of the cross-bar 28, by means of which screw .5 the'blocks or heads 2 1 may be locked when adjusted against movement along said bar.

Beneatheach heador block 2 1 is an adjustable anvil 29, formed of a block of metal of suitable dimensions, having a shank 30 upon its under side and adapted to pass down through a slot 31, formed longitudinally in the cross-bar 5 of the machine-frame table, beneath which bar 5 the said shank has a screw 32, by means of which the anvil-plate may be locked fast to said bar when in adjusted position. By this construction it will be seen that the anvil-plates 29 may also be adjusted transversely of the machine-frame to correspond to the adjustment of the heads or blocks 24 upon which the staple forming and setting devices are carried.

The respective wires w and y, from which the connections of the strips or slats and the staplesy/ are formed, are carried on spools or reels 33 and 34, arranged in two series of five spools or reels, each upon a cross-beam 35 above the machine-frame, said beam 35 being supported at its ends upon braces 36, the lower ends of which are secured to the ends of a cross-piece or tie-bar 37, which is extended across the machine between the upper ends of the upright portions 38 of the side pieces 1 1 of the frame.

Each block or head 24 has its staple forming and setting ordriving devices so arranged and constructed as to insure that the staples 11 when driven into the slats or strips w over the connecting-wires w shall extend diagonally or obliquely with respect to said connecting-wires and also with respect to the grain of the wood, which is usually parallel with the sides of the slats or strips, and in this manner it will be seen that cracking or splitting of the strips or slats, such as is often caused where the staples are set at right angles to the connecting-wires and parallel with the grain of the wood, is avoided. This angular or oblique arrangement of the staples y is effected by the arrangement of the staple forming and driving devices diagonally or obliquely with relation to the path in which the strips or slats are fed across the table of the machine-frame. The staple forming and driving or setting devices are carried upon the front parts of the respective blocks or heads 24, and in order to secure the diagonal or oblique arrangement of the staples when driven above referred to we make one side of each block or head 24 thicker than the other, so that its front surface will not be parallel with the direction of the cross-bar 28, whereon it is adjustably secured, but will be oblique or diagonal with relation thereto. I

the end of the corresponding connecting-wire w is passed, said wire after being passed through the aperture of said lug or pin being drawn rearward] y under the block orhead 24, the under side of which is provided with a groove or channel 24 to receive and guide said wire. The under surface of the shoe 24 is also grooved or channeled, as shown at 24, for a similar purpose.

Each head or block 24 is formed with a removable face-plate 41, held by screws to the front or oblique surface of the head, and in the front surface of the head at the point covered by said plate 41 is provided a vertical guideway 40, a similar and corresponding guideway 42 being provided on the inner side of said face-plate 41. In the corresponding guideways 40 and 42 thus formed is arranged to play vertically a die or former 43, the upper end of which is extended above the head or block 24 and is carried by a block 44, having an upwardly-extended shank 45, the upper end of which is secured to a block or slide 46, held adjustably by screws 47 to a vertically-reciprocating cross-bar 49. The crossbar 49 is extended transversely of the machine between the upright portions 38 of the frame, and its ends are guided for vertical movement in said upright portions 38. Said bar 49 is also provided with a longitudinal slot 48 of T shape in cross-section, and the screws 47 have heads engaged in said slot in such a way that when the nuts on the outer ends of said screws are loosened the slides or blocks 46 may be moved transversely of the machine in order to accommodate the position of these parts to any desired adjustment of the heads or blocks 24.

The cross-bar 49 has at each end a stud or lug 50, which is extended outwardly through a vertical opening 51 produced in the corresponding upright 38 of the machine-frame, and outside of the machine-frame each stud or lug carries a swiveled head 52, with which is connected the upper end of an eccentric-rod 53, the lower ends of said rods being connected with the straps 54 of eccentrics 21 upon the opposite ends of the machine-shaft 22. By this construction it will be seen that as the machine-shaft is turned in the operation of the machine reciprocatory vertical movement will be imparted to the cross-bar 49 and through the connecting parts above described, such motion being transmitted to the several dies or formers 43, so that vertical reciprocatory movement will be imparted to each such die or former.

Each of the wires 3/ from which the staples y are formed is carried downwardly adjacent to one of the heads or blocks 24 and has its extremity passed within and through a tubular guide 55, held in brackets 56, at one side of the inclined forward surface of the head or block 24, the lower end of the tubular guide 55 being curved or bent laterally, as-shown at'57, in order to direct the wire when issuing from the guide in a lateral direction, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in position to be engaged in the bight of an upper and a lower feed -roller, these being indicated, respectively, at 59 and 61 upon the drawings. The peripheral surfaces of these feed-rollers may be grooved or otherwise formed in order to adapt them for engagement with the wire 1 to be fed. The upper roller 59 is held to turn freely on a screw-stud 60, held to the block or head 24 adjacent to one edge of the removable face-plate 41 thereof, while the lower roller 61 is held to turn loosely upon the reduced end portion 64 of a stud or pin 65, which stud or pin is passed through the head or block 24 and is adapted for free turning movement therein. The reduced end portion 64 of the stud or pin 65 is eccentric with respect to the body portion of said stud which turns in the head 24, and in this way it will be seen that as the wire y is passed through the bight of the feed-rollers from the bent end 57 of the guide the rollers are permitted to separate to accommodate inequalities or unevenness in the wire; but should the wire y be drawn in a reverse direction, such as would withdraw its end from the bight of the feed-rollers, the eccentric arrangement of the lower feed-roller will cause said lower roller to clamp the wire 3/ against the upper feed-roller and hold said wire 3 against disengagement. from the feeding devices. The outer end of the reduced portion 64 of pin or stud carries a block 68, having a slot wherein is held the lower end of a leaf-spring 66, the upper end of which has engagement witha pin 67 on the head or block 24 and is arranged in such a way as to normally press the lower feed-roller in position for clamping engagement against the upper feed-roller.

At the side of the face-plate 41, adjacent to the feedingrollers, is arranged a tubularwire-guide 58, also alined with the bight of said rollers and adapted for the passage of the end of the wire y after the passage of said wire between the said feed-rollers. This wireguide 58 is arranged to carry the extremity of the wire y into the guideway in which the die or former 48 is arranged for movement, said die or former being of course raised at the time of the actuation of the feedingrollers, so that the said wire may pass freely across the guideway beneath said die. For actuating'the feed-rollers 59 and 61 to feed the wire 3 into the guideway of the die or former the upper feed-roller 59 is provided with a ratchet-wheel 69, secured upon it, and the teeth of said ratchet-wheel are adapted for engagement by the nose of a dog or pawl 70, the upper end of which is carried by a lever 71, pivoted on the face-plate 41 of the head or block 24. The opposite end of said lever 71 is engaged, as shown in dotted lines at 73 in Fig. 5, between the face-plate 41 and that partial movement is imparted to the upper feed-roller 59. The upper feed-roller 59 carries agear-wheel 62, adapted to mesh with a similar gear 63 on the lower feed-roller 61 in such a way that the intermittent rotative movement imparted, as above described, to the upper roller-is communicated to the lower roller to insure proper feeding of the wire y through the guide 58 into the guideway of the die or former. A stop 76 is provided to limit the movement of the lever 71, and a spring 78 is provided to hold the nose of the dog 7 O in proper engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 69.

At the rear of and communicating with the guideway of the die or former 43 is a recess or opening 79, formed in the head or block 24, and in said recess or opening 79 is arranged a movable part or jaw 80, held pivotally, as seen at 81, with its free lower end formed with a projecting front portion 82, adapted when said free lower end of the jaw is swung forwardly to enter and stand within the guideway of the die at the central part of said guideway. A spring 83, held on the rear face of the head or block 24, has connection with said jaw and is arranged to swing the same forward, so that its extended front portion 82 shall stand within the guideway of the die, as shown at Fig. 9. The extended front portion 82 of the jaw or part has a notched or recessed part 84 at its center, and said notch or recess 84 is adapted when the jaw is swung into the guideway of the die to stand in alinement with the inner end of the wire-guide 58, so that when the wire y is fed into and is caused to extend transversely across the guideway of the die or former it will pass through the central notch or recess 84, as shown in Fig. 7, the die or former being of course raised at such time.

In the rear surface of the die or former 43 is produced a longitudinally-extended guideway or channel 87 and in the corresponding and adjacent surface of the block or head 24 is produced a coincident guide way or channel 88, and in these guideways or channels is adapted to move the driver or hammer 89, formed of an elongated metal bar or rod, the upper part of which is rectangular in crosssection to fit the walls of said guideways or channels. The driver or hammer 89 is of a length greater than the die or former, so that the upper end of said driver is extended above the block 44, on which the die or former is carried. The upper extremity of the driver is screw-threaded for engagement in a socket- IIO piece or chuck 91, carried on the lower end of a rod 92, extended vertically in the machineframe above the bar 49 and having its upper end passed through a slide-bearing 96 in the tie-bar or cross-piece 37 of the frame. The block 46, by which the stock or shank 45is adjustably held to the actuating-bar '49r has an opening through which theharn'mer, bar 92, and chuck 91 are each free to pass in the movement of the parts-vertically. The bar or rod 92 carries above the chuck 91 a nut 93, and above said nut a coiled spring 94 is held on the rod in such a way as to tend to press said rod, together with the driver connected therewith, in a downward direction. Above the tie-piece 37 the rod 92 has a head 97, the lower part of which is formed with a square 98, and when said rod 92 is raised in the operation of the machine, as will be hereinafter explained, said square 98 is adapted to be engaged by the extremity of a trip-finger 99, held on a rock-shaft 100, mounted in bearings on the tie-bar 37. When the trip-finger 99 of the rock-shaft is engaged with the square 98 on the upward movement of rod 92, its upper extremity is engaged beneath said square and serves to hold the rod 92, together with the hammer 89, in raised position until the trip-finger shall in the further operation of the machine have been withdrawn from en gagement with the square 98.

On the rock-shaft 100 is an arm 101, which has loose connection with the upper end of a rod 102, the lower end of which has sliding engagement in an opening formed in the crossbar 28,0n which the heads or blocks 24 are adjustably held, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and on said rod 102 is adjustably held a collar 103, which is adapted for engagement beneath the vertically-reciprocating cross-bar 49 in such a way that when said cross-bar 49 is moved downwardly it will engage upon the collar 103 and draw the rod 102 also downwardly to rock the shaft 100 in its bearings and throw the trip-fingers 99 out of engagement with the squares 98 on rods 92, whereby said rods are permitted to be moved forcibly downward under the impulse of the springs 95.

104 indicates a spring the lower end of which has engagement with the collar 103 and the upper end of which has connection with the cross-piece or tie-bar 37 of the frame, and when the bar 49 has reached the limit of its downward movement and commences to rise said spring 104 will retract the rod 102 and serve to rock the shaft 100 in a reverse direction, so that as the rods 92 are again raised the trip-fingers 99 will be in position to again engage beneath the squares 98 to hold the rods in elevated positions.

For elevating the rods 92 upon the upward movement of the bar 49 the upper face of the block 44 has engagement against the under side of the chuck 91. In this way it will be readily understood that as the said block 44 is moved upward, carrying with it the die or former 43 in the upward movement of bar 49, the block will be engaged under the chuck 91 and will impart its upward movement to the rod 92 in such a way as to cause the same to slide vertically upward until the trip finger 99 shall have engaged the square 98 to hold the rod raised, the hammer or driver 89 being also by this movement raised and moved upward in its guideways.

The lower end of the guideway 87 for the driver in the die or former 43 is made in re duced width, as indicated at 87 in Figs. 10 and 11, and the hammer 89 has the forward side of its lower end similarly reduced in width or thickness to correspond with and fit in said reduced portion. The reduced lower end portion of the driver has its opposite side surfaces formed with projecting longitudinal flanges or ribs 40 and these are adapted to fit and play in corresponding channels in the sides of the reduced portion 87 of the guideway in the die to accurately guide the driver in its vertical movements. These channels or vertical grooves in the sides of the reduced portion 87 of the guideway are adapted to receive the side portions or downwardly-extended parts of the staples when said staples are formed by the downward movement of the die or former, and the said side portions of the staples have frictional engagement in said grooves or channels sufficient to hold the staples in place and prevent them from falling or dropping down in the guideway, even when freed from the dog, except when the staples are pressed down in being driven by the driver.

The movable part or jaw has above its notch or recess 84 a forwardly and downwardly inclined cam-surface 85, and said camsurface is in vertical alinement with the rear part of the driver, which plays in the guideway 88 in block 24, since the said jaw is forced by its spring 83 forward when the driver is raised until the extended front portion 82 of the jaw comes to stand in the guideways 87 and 88, as shown in Fig. 9. The said rear part of the driver has its lower end beveled OH? to form a cam-surface 90, adapted when the driver is moved downward under the impulse of the spring to engage upon the cam-surface of the jaw or part 80 in such a way as to throw the lower end of said jaw rearward and out of the path of the driver 89, which latter is thus permitted to be pressed forcibly down by its spring until its lower end shall have passed below the jaw and have driven the staple beneath it through the slat or piece 00 to hold a wire 20 thereto.

In the operation of the improved machine we prefer to so time the parts that the machine-shaft 22 shall at each turn impart, through ratchet-wheel 18 and its connected mechanisms, a feeding impulse to the chains 15 sufficient to move each slat or strip with IIO which the chains are engaged a distance equal to half the width of a slat or strip plus half the distance by which the slats or strips are spaced or separated. We also so time the staple forming and driving or setting devices as to be actuated once for each feeding movement of the slats or strips, so that by this arrangement of the parts each strip or slat of veneer is attached to each of the connectingwires w by two diagonally or obliquely set staples, as indicated in Fig. 14. this arrangement a much firmer and stronger attachment of the slats to the wires w is attained, so that considerable strength and stififness are added to the crates or boxes and also the use of'wider slats or strips is permitted-without liability of their being cracked or split. At each turn of the machine-shaft 22 an impulse is imparted to the feeding mechanisms to bring a slat beneath the staple driving and forming devices carried on the blocks 24 in position to have a fresh transverse series of staples driven therein to hold the connectingwires to to said slat. Each turn of the shaft 22 also actuates the vertically-reciprocating bar 49 so as to move the same first downward and then upward. In the downward move.- ment of said bar 49 the die or former 43, which before had been in raised position, as indicated in Figs. 6, 7, and 9, is moved downward in its guideways in the block 24 and face-plate 41, and one side thereof serves to out through and sever the horizontally-extended end portion of wire y at the point where it extends from the guide 58 into the guideway of the former, the severed end portion of said wire being meanwhile held at its center in the notch orrecess 82 of the jaw 80, which latter is pressed by its spring so that its forwardly-extended lower part shall stand in the guideway87 in the die or former.. As the die or former continues to move downward the portions thereof at the sides of the said guideway 87 are caused to press downward upon the extremities of the severed portion of the wire y, 50 that said extremities are bent downward at the sides ofthe extended part 82 of the jaw, so that the said severed portion of the wire y is bent into the form of a staple, as indicated at y in Fig. 8. The downward movement of the die or former 43 is continued until the lower end thereof comes to bear upon the top surface of the slat or strip at which is in position to receive the staple 51/, the engagement of said die with the slat serving to securely hold the slat in position while the staple is being driven. While this farther downward movement of the die is taking place the staple y, formed as above described, is held in the guideway 87 by the engagement of the jaw with the central part of the staple. As the bar 49 reaches thelimit of its downward movement and the die or former is firmly pressed at its lower end upon the slat or strip :1; beneath the head or block 24 the said bar 49 comes in engagement with the collar 103 on rod 102 and serves to draw said rod downward, the lower end of the rod sliding in its guide-recess in bar 28 and serving to rock the shaft 100, whereby the tripfingers 99 are withdrawn from engagement beneath the squares 98 and the springs 95 are permitted to forcibly press the rods 92 downward. In the downward movement thus imparted to each driver 89 (owing to its connection with the corresponding rod 92) the camsurface 90 at the lower rear part of the driver comes into engagement with the cam-surface 85 upon the extended part 82 of jaw 80 and serves to swing the free lower end of said jaw backward or rearward in its recess 79 against the tension of its spring 83, so that the jaw is moved outof the way of the descending driver. In its withdrawal from the guideways 87 and 88 the jaw is caused to release the staple g, which had been supported by it in the guideway 87, and said staple is engaged by the lower forward end of the driver, which is made flattened, and is thereby pressed downward within the guideway 87 and is driven through the slat or strip it, held beneath the die, the downwardly-extended sides of the said staple being at opposite sides of the connecting-wire w, whereby the said wire is held to the slat or strip m. The arms or sides of the staple y after being passed through the slat or strip will be clenched upon the under side thereof upon engagement with the anvil-plate 29 beneath the slat or strip. The staple 3 having been formed and driven as above described, the continued movement of the shaft 22 will serve to raise the bar 49, and with it the die or former 43, the driver remaining pressed downward by its spring, with its chuck 91 rested on the block 44, so that said driver is also raised by the upward movement of the die or former until the square 98 at the upper end of rod 92 is engaged and held in raised position'by the trip-finger 99 on the rockshaft 100, the upward movement of the bar 49 having also permitted the spring 104 to turn the rock-shaft so that the trip-fingers are in position to engage under the squares 98 on rods 92. As the die is raised the lever 71 is moved pivotally by the engagement therewith of the bent lower end 75 of arm 74 on block 45, and this movement of the lever causes the dog 7 O to be pressed downward, its nose engaging the teeth of ratchet-wheel 69 in such a way as to turn said ratchet-wheel, and with it the upper and lower feed-wheels 59 and 61, so that a feeding impulse is imparted to the wire 3 to cause its extremity to again pass ward the jaw or part 80 will also be pressed by its spring 83 in such a way as to cause its .notched or recessed extension 82 to again stand in the ,guideways with its notch in position for the extremity of the wire g to pass through in order that the next staple y may be formed. The feeding operation for the slats is then repeated to bring the same slat or another slat or strip in position for the next staple y to be set or driven, and since the wires 20 are connected or attached to the slats or strips by the staples 3/, driven as above described, this succeeding slat or strip feeding impulse will serve to draw off from the reels or spools 33 a length of wire suflicient to extend to the point where the next staples are to be set or driven. The operations above described are continued as the shaft 22 revolves, and the connected strips or slats may be made in any desired lengths or may be run continuously through the machine and afterward cut into any suitable lengths.

From the above description of our improvements it will be seen that the improved machine is of an extremely simple and inexpensive nature and is strong and durable and requires no special skill or knowledge upon the part of the operative in charge,since its working is substantially automatic. The operation of the improved machine is also very rapid, so that the connected slats or strips are produced ready for use in making boxes or crates in very little time and at comparatively small expense. The machine is also of such a nature as not to be liable to be readily broken or deranged when in use, and its parts are constructed in such manner that they may be readily taken apart and reassembled, so that in case of breaking down or stoppage they may be readily removed and replaced with little labor and in a short time. It will also be obvious from the above description that the improved machine constructed according to our invention is capable of considerable modification without material departure from the principles and spirit of the invention, and for this reason we do not desire to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise form and arrangement of the several parts of the device as herein set forth.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of ahead, wire-feeding mechanism, a die movable on the head, mechanism for moving the die, a jaw movable on the head and having a part to receive a wire and around which the said Wire is bent to produce a staple when the die is moved, a driver and actuating means therefor, a trip device for holding the driver against movement, said driver being arranged to move in one direction in unison with the die and means operated from the diemoving mechanism to release the driver from said trip device, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of ahead, wire-feeding mechanism, a die movable on the head, mechanism for moving the die, a jaw movable on the head and having a part to receivea wire and around which the wire is bent to produce a staple when the die is moved in one direction, a driver movable in unison with the die in one direction, a trip device arranged to hold the driver against return movement when so moved in unison with the die, a spring for moving the driverin an opposite direction and means operated from the die-moving mechanism for actuating said trip device to release the driver, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a die mounted for reciprocatory movement, a movable jaw adapted to die is moved in one direction, said die when moved in an opposite direction being adapted to engage and bend the ends of a wire so held around said jaw to produce a staple, means for moving said die, a driver having means to actuate it independent of the movement of said die, means to hold the driver out of operation during the actuation of the die and mechanism to release the driver from said holding means and means whereby the diemoving mechanism actuates the releasing mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine of the characterdescribed, the combination of a frame, staple-driving devices carried thereon, slat-feeding devices having parts to engage slats and arranged to feed slats so engaged beneath the staple-driving devices, actuating means for said slatfeeding devices, said actuating means being arranged to move the slat-feeding devices intermittently and to an extent less than the distance between the slat-engaging parts of the slat-feeding devices whereby, in the operation of the machine, two staples are driven in each slat and means to actuate the stapledriving devices after each operation of the slat-feeding devices.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a head, wire-feeding mechanism, staple-forming means, a driver independent of the staple-forming means and adapted to drive a staple when formed, means to actuate the driver mechanism comprising a reciprocating part the movement of which, in one direction, is communicated to the actuating means of the driver and in the other direction, is communicated to the staple-forming means to actuate the same to produce a staple, and means to release the actuating means for the driver.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a head, wire-feeding mechanism, staple-forming means, a driver independent of the stapleforming means and adapted to drive staples when formed, means capable of being placed under tension and, when released, adapted to actuate the driver mechanism comprising a reciprocating part,

the movement of which, in one direction, is communicated to the actuating means of the driver to place the same under tension and in the other direction, is communicated tothe staple-forming means to actuate the same to produce a staple, and means to release the ac tuating means for the driver.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means to form and support a staple to be driven, a' driver arranged for movement in line with the staple-supporting means, a spring for moving the driver, mechanism arranged to actuate the staple-forming means, means actuated in unison With the operation of the actuating mechanism of the staple-forming means and arranged to place said spring under tension, a detent device for holding the driver against operation While the staple is being formed and means to release the driver after'the operation of the staplef0rming means.

staple-forming means to form a staple and third, the trip device to release the'driver.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means to form and support a staple to be driven, a driver arranged for movement in line with the staple-supporting means and mechanism reversely movable for successive operation to first actuate the staple-forming means to produce a staple and afterward to release the driver to permit movement of the same to drive said staple.

Signed at Chattanooga, Tennessee, this 3d day of May, 1902, and 17th day of May, 1902, respectively.

WM. LIPPS. ISAAC SPRINGER.

Witnesses as to Wm. Lipps: R. TOOMBS WRIGHT, W. G. M. THoMAs, BATTLE MOLESTER. Witnesses as to Isaac Springer:

W. G. M. THOMAS, BATTLE MoLEsTER. 

